Patchy Weather for Final Race

Scott McLaughlin won the earlier V8 Supercars race today and his Enduro Cup co-driver matched it, Jack Perkins taking victory in the third and final Dunlop Series race at the Coates Hire Ipswich 360.

There were question marks around whether to start the race on wet weather or slick tyres, and Championship leaders Dale Wood and Ash Walsh took the gamble and started on slicks. However, it didn’t pay off for the pair in the action packed race.

Wood started from ARMOR ALL Pole Position and had a fantastic start, but was severely disadvantaged with the lack of grip from his tyre strategy and Eggleston Motorsport’s Jack Perkins took over the lead.

It was to be a time certain race, meaning one final lap would be completed after 3.43pm local time.

The action started on lap two when Marcus Zukanivic ordered the Pedders STP Safety car out on the track after rear hub damage to his Action Racing Holden Commodore. Aaren Russell will be subject to a post-race investigation over the incident. 

Championship leader Wood was turned around by Paul Morris in his Sargent Security Racing Holden Commodore mid-race causing a concertina effect spinning around Race Two winner Andre Heimgartner and Tony D’Alberto Racing’s Nick McBride.

Meantime, Image Racing and former main-game driver Taz Douglas made contact with Ipswich local Walsh, struggled with slick tyres, pushing both off the track and causing the Pedders STP Safety Car to return.

Time ticked over and it would be a final lap dash to the finish.

Perkins led from the front when the race went green and claimed the win while MotoGP Champion Casey Stoner passed Paul Morris for fifth – his best finish to date in the Dunlop Series.

Morris drifted back and tried to muscle with the cars around him – earning himself a post-race pit lane penalty, 27 seconds added to his time.

It was a battle for second to the line, but Steve Owen just held off Daniel Gaunt by 0.0444sec.

Perkins won the round and climbs into ninth in the Dunlop Series Championship and said having wet weather tyres was the correct decision.

“We had pretty good speed regardless of the conditions and I think we made the right call there, putting on wets was definitely the go,” said Perkins.

Click here for full results from Race Three at the Coates Hire Ipswich 360.

Wood remains Championship leader with 1036, Walsh second with 908 and Gaunt third with 818.

The next round of the Dunlop Series is at the next V8 Supercars event, the Winton 360 from August 23-25.